All racing greyhound breedings are required to be reported to the NGA within 10 days from breeding. The breeding is reported on an NGA Notification Of Breeding form. A $10 fee (for NGA members) must accompany this notification. As stated, the NGA returns a Breeding Acknowledgment that among other things, includes a five digit number. The number is really a breeding number at that point in time. However, the number does become the litter registration number at a later date and is the number tattooed in the left ear of each pup.

Some 75 days after the breeding, one must file a Notification Of Whelping with the NGA. A normal female whelps 63-65 days after conception. Add 10 days to arrive at 75 days. The whelping is reported on an NGA Notification Of Whelping form. A $7 fee (for NGA members) must accompany this notification.

The whelping report verifies what happened as a result of the breeding, there are four possible answers on the NGA form. The first is that puppies were "whelped". The second is that the breeding "missed". The third is that the pregnancy was "aborted". The fourth is that something "other" happened (in case the female dies or gets killed). If puppies were whelped, one must indicate on the whelping report the number of males and females and the sex and color of each.

This sets the maximum number of racing greyhounds that can later be individually registered from the reported breeding.

By the end of 90 days after the date of whelping, one must file an Application for Registration of Litter. Again this is reported on NGA forms. A $7 fee (for NGA members) must accompany this application. The forms are very detailed and involved. First the form(s) requires a four sided bertillon "picture" of each pup, complete with color indications, markings, spots, scars, or other distinguishing features.

Also required for each pup is the color (light, dark, or horn) of each of its 16 toenails, and color and markings of each foot. Sex of each pup must also be indicated. In addition, one must tattoo the paper next to each pup's bertillon the same as the pup's ear (at the same time one has the forceps ready to tattoo the pup).

The NGA returns a Litter Registration Acknowledgment along with enough original individual registration forms (onion skins) to later individually register each dog. Anytime after receiving the Original Individual Registration Application forms (onion skins), one can individually register a racing greyhound by completing one of these forms and sending it to the NGA.

Most owners wait until the pups are 12-17 months old; if a pup is not going to race, most owners do not individually register that greyhound. Again, this form requires a four-sided bertillon picture complete with sex, color indications, markings, scars, and distinguishing features. Also, the color (light, dark, or horn) of each of the 16 toenails, and color and markings of each foot must be indicated. One must also read the tattoos from the greyhound's ears and report them on the form.

Other information is required such as sire, dam, grandparents, and appropriate signatures. This is also the form where one lists three name choices. A $10 fee (for NGA members) must accompany this individual application (to register 8 pups would be $56). Obviously this bertillon picture, markings, etc. must match the one from the litter registration forms that were filed by the end of 90 days.

The NGA will then return a yellow Certificate of Registration for each registered racing greyhound. In one sense, this is the ownership title to the individual greyhound. The Certificate of Registration has the greyhound's tattoo numbers and the four-side bertillon picture and other information from the individual registration, along with the name awarded that specific greyhound. This Certificate of Registration must accompany a racing greyhound to the racetrack and is kept by the racing secretary at the track.

Before each race, each greyhound is checked against its Certificate of Registration (ear tattoos, color, markings, etc.) to insure the betting public is witnessing the correct greyhound in the race.

As a side note, each greyhound owner must obtain an owners license from the racing commission in the state(s) where they race greyhounds. To obtain an owners license in a state, one must fill out and file a very personal application, complete with fingerprint cards, references, and a fee. The application must be notarized. This must be done each year for each state (fingerprints are not required each year). The particular state then runs a criminal check on the applicant.